We are delighted to invite you to the 2026 Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR), taking place July 29-31, 2026, at the Westin Boston Seaport District in Boston, Massachusetts. As co-chairs for this event, we are honored to convene leaders, innovators, and professionals who are shaping the next chapter of digital learning and institutional strategy in higher education.
SOLAR 2026 affirms a simple idea: at the end of the day, what matters most is student outcomes. As online, hybrid, and tech-enabled learning become ubiquitous, the conversation is less about modality and more about access, quality, completions, and impact.
SOLAR 2026 also arrives at a critical moment in the adoption cycle of GenAI. Labor market changes are difficult to predict with certainty, yet student demand for AI skills remains strong. There also are tremendous opportunities to harness AI tools to enhance program quality and generate substantial operational efficiencies.
Across campuses, the role of the online learning leader continues to evolve: from specialist to strategist, from “online” lead to enterprise change agent. SOLAR 2026 will explore this shift head-on: how leaders scan the horizon, translate trends into action, and steward organizational change that endures. We will examine both sides of the enterprise, pedagogy and operations, recognizing that academic excellence and operational excellence must advance together.
SOLAR 2026 continues UPCEA’s tradition of bringing together the foremost minds in online learning leadership for thoughtful dialogue, collaborative exploration, and actionable insights. In Boston, you’ll find peers ready to compare notes on fees and budgets, governance and credentials, policy and compliance, technology ecosystems, and the human side of change. Through keynotes, interactive workshops, roundtables, and networking, you’ll leave with new insights, and a network you can call the day after you return to campus.
We invite you to contribute to this dynamic gathering by sharing your ideas, research, and institutional successes. The call for proposals will open soon, your participation helps shape the conversations that define our field.
We look forward to welcoming you to Boston for a focused, collegial, and transformative SOLAR. Come, and invite your team to the event that equips you to lead with clarity, deliver measurable outcomes, and build the institutional capabilities the moment demands.
Warm regards,
Carmin Chan
Vice Provost of NAU Online
Northern Arizona University
SOLAR 2026 Advisory Committee Co-Chair
Kemi Jona
Vice Provost for Online Education and Digital Innovation
University of Virginia
SOLAR 2026 Advisory Committee Co-Chair
The Summit for Online Leadership and Administration (SOLAR) conference is an opportunity for senior leaders and practitioners in postsecondary online learning to convene in beautiful Boston, MA to focus on digital learning, innovation, and strategic leadership in higher education.
Digital leadership is integral to the access mission, commitment to excellence, and sustainability of today's institutions. SOLAR’s program focuses on the best practices, thought leadership, and strategy that institutional leaders need to embrace digital transformation in postsecondary education. The event, located at the Westin Boston Seaport District, affords us the opportunity to offer a more intimate and curated conference that lends itself to meaningful networking, fellowship, and idea sharing.
Join key campus leaders – presidents, provosts, deans, instructional designers, faculty, and others focused on digital leadership – July 29-31, 2026.Need a justification letter for your manager or organization on why you should attend? Download a template here.
